CRICKET- Ricky Ponting's career in pictures

Born in Launceston on 19 December 1974, Ricky Thomas Ponting becomes the youngest player to represent Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield when he makes his first-class debut against South Australia at the age of 17
The nephew of Test seamer Greg Campbell, who toured England with Australia in 1989, Ponting is not quite 20 when he plays for Australia A against England at the MCG in December 1994, scoring 31
Ponting makes his Australia debut against South Africa in February 1995 in a one-day tournament hosted by New Zealand, and makes his Test debut against Sri Lanka that December, hitting 96 and 71 in his first two innings
He hits his first ODI century against Sri Lanka in Melbourne in January 1996 and another against West Indies in that year's World Cup, going on to score 45 in the final as Australia are beaten by co-hosts Sri Lanka
The goatee beard finally disappears when Ponting tours England for the first time in 1997 and scores his maiden Test century at Headingley. Australia win the Ashes series 3-2
But Ponting, nicknamed "Punter" for his love of gambling, begins to make headlines for the wrong reasons - in early 1999 he is suspended for three matches after a nightclub brawl leaves him with a black eye, and he admits to an alcohol problem
An injury to Greg Blewett earns Ponting a Test recall in the West Indies, and he is ever-present as all-conquering Australia lift the World Cup in England in the summer of 1999
Ponting soon establishes himself in the key number three position for Australia in both forms of the game, and helps them to a 4-1 Ashes win in 2001 - once more scoring a century at Headingley
In February 2002, Ponting's redemption is complete as he is announced as Australia's one-day captain for the tour of South Africa, replacing Steve Waugh and leapfrogging existing vice-captain Adam Gilchrist
After another Ashes series win in 2002/03, Ponting repays the selectors' faith with a man-of-the-match performance in the 2003 World Cup final in South Africa, hitting 140 not out as Australia beat India by 125 runs

In 2003, Ponting matches legend Sir Donald Bradman's feat of hitting three Test double centuries in a calendar year, and in March 2004 he assumes the Test captaincy following Steve Waugh's retirement

Ponting inherits a dominant side head and shoulders above the rest of the world, boasting some stellar names including spin legend Shane Warne, seam bowler Glenn McGrath and wicketkeeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist

But in 2005, not even Warne's heroics can prevent a resurgent England side led by Michael Vaughan from regaining the Ashes for the first time since 1986/87, winning the series 2-1 as Ponting's captaincy comes under scrutiny

Ponting famously loses his cool in spectacular fashion when he is run out by substitute fielder Gary Pratt in the fourth Test, and is fined 75% of his match fee for a foul-mouthed tirade at England coach Duncan Fletcher as he walks off the pitch at Trent Bridge

But that defeat in England galvanises Ponting's side to raise their game and against South Africa, the captain scores hundreds in each innings of his 100th Test. The one-day side remains strong and they win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006

The Ashes are regained in spectacular fashion in 2006/07 as Ponting hits 576 runs at 82.28 as Australia complete a 5-0 whitewash over the old enemy - although icons Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, and opener Justin Langer, retire from Test cricket at the end of the series

A third successive World Cup success follows in the Caribbean in 2007, Ponting's second as captain - but over the next couple of years, the retirement of more senior players from their golden era, such as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, leaves Australia as a side in transition

Ponting passes Allan Border's Australian record of 11,174 Test runs at Edgbaston in 2009, but becomes the third Aussie captain to lose two Ashes series, although they do win the ICC Champions Trophy again that year

Calls from Aussie fans, media and former players for Ponting to resign intensify after he scores 103 runs in seven innings as England retain the Ashes in 2010/11 with a 3-1 series victory, the first time Australia have been beaten on home soil since 1986/87

Ponting's final bow as skipper is at the 2011 World Cup. He scores a century in a losing cause as India beat Australia in the quarter-finals, and resigns the captaincy within days, although he later stands in as captain for a couple of ODIs in early 2012

Back in the ranks under his successor Michael Clarke and without a Test fifty in nearly a year, Ponting's place is under threat, but he scores 643 runs at 80.38, including a double century in Adelaide, in the 2011-12 home season against New Zealand and India

Despite standing in as skipper for the injured Clarke in a couple of one-dayers, Ponting is then dropped from the ODI squad in the middle of a series after a run of poor form - just 18 runs in five innings in the tri-series against India and Sri Lanka in Australia

Ponting calls a news conference the following day and says he does not expect to play one-day cricket again for Australia, though he stops short of announcing his retirement and stresses he still wants to play Test cricket

In February, Ponting signs a two-month deal with Surrey as cover for the injured Graeme Smith. The former Australia captain scores 192 on his debut, but his side draw their County Championship Division One match with Derbyshire

In June, Ponting does announce plans to retire from all forms of cricket. The 38-year-old says he will call time on his career after appearing for Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians in the Champions League, which ends in October.